Norman Taurog

A successful child actor (on stage from 1907) and rather less successful romantic lead, baby-faced 'Norman Taurog' (qv) found being behind the camera a more rewarding experience. Before becoming a director, he paid his dues as a prop man and editor. By 1919, he was put in charge of two-reel comedies, starring the comic 'Larry Semon' (qv). These films were made on the East Coast and it was not until 1926, that Taurog moved to Hollywood. His directing career really took off with the coming of sound, and he soon acquired a reputation as a specialist in light comedy. He also developed a singular penchant for working with children, often giving them chocolate rewards for good acting. They, in turn, called him 'Uncle Norman'. Taurog became the youngest-ever director to win an Oscar. This was for the film _Skippy (1931)_ (qv), which featured child actor 'Jackie Cooper' (qv), his real-life nephew.Taurog was under contract at Paramount from 1930 to 1936. The pick-of-the-bunch among his films - and a solid box office hit - was _Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch (1934)_ (qv), starring the noted stage actress 'Pauline Lord' (qv), comedienne 'Zasu Pitts' (qv) and the irrepressible, idiosyncratic 'W.C. Fields' (qv). On loan to 'David O. Selznick' (qv), he also did justice to 'Mark Twain' (qv) by creating just the right atmosphere for _The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1938)_ (qv), eliciting a strong performance from 'Jackie Moran' (qv) in the role of Huck Finn. Initial footage had been in black & white, but Taurog discarded this and re-shot the film in Technicolor, which worked particularly well with art director 'Lyle R. Wheeler' (qv).After a stint with Fox (1936-37), Taurog then had his best (and longest) spell with MGM (1938-51). His A-grade assignments for the studio included the iconic _Boys Town (1938)_ (qv), the exuberant _Broadway Melody of 1940 (1940)_ (qv) and the thoroughly entertaining 'Judy Garland' (qv) musical _Presenting Lily Mars (1943)_ (qv), based on a best-selling novel by 'Booth Tarkington' (qv). In 1952, he returned to Paramount, where he was utilised on the strength of his proven ability to make films economically and on time. Taurog made the most out of the feather-light scripts he was handed for a string of comedies with 'Dean Martin' (qv) and/or 'Jerry Lewis' (qv). He was also a favorite of 'Elvis Presley' (qv), directing in total nine of his films.As the law of diminishing returns applied, Taurog retired in 1968. He later taught at the University of California School of Cinema and remained a board member of the Director's Guild. He became blind towards the end of his life, but for his last years served as director of the Braille Institute in Los Angeles.::I.S.Mowis